Tri-ing at 50, 60, 70 & beyond

Max, you just rock.  There's no other way to put it.  People constantly ask me why on earth I want to do something crazy as ride my bike for 45 miles and then run 5 when no one is even chasing me. (or in my weightlifting  days, why did I spend so much time in the weight room?)   My answers have evolved somewhat from:

" I want to control my weight" to

"I need to keep my sanity so I don't kill my kids" to

"Since I'm not going to kill my kids after all I want to be the only mom n the rink who can  roller blade as long as they can" to

"I want to be the only one left in my age group so maybe I can finally get some hardware!"

Ha.  Seriously Max, your words as well as your attitude and athletic endurance inspire so many of us here on BT. GEEEZ, you even got me thinking of MAYBE doing an IM someday!  (I said thinking...) 

 I hope you're doing this when Jorge is your age too...and I hope I'm right there with you both   (we can race use our O2 tanks as floaties and race wheelchairs instead of bikes   )

Max, I like your post!  You don't seem such a sentimental person 

I, too, am inspired by several older people.  One is a 72 yr guy doing self-defense.  He was in the same level as me.  He started taking self defense at 70.  When asked why he took up the sports, he said he'd like to be able to protect his wife.  He couldn't do all the forms as vigorously as the rest of the class, and the instructor allowed him to do move in double time.  I've stopped taking that class.  Not sure if he's still there. 

The other is a guy I met in the gondola heading toward the top of Stratton Mt.  His tag of "80 yr old and above, ski free" caught my eye and we started chatting.  He claimed that he had an open-heard surgery couple years ago and he's rested enough and ready to hit the slope again.  He was by himself! 

And finally, my own father, who is 63.  He's an amateur tennis champion.  He lifted weights for a while, and scuba dived and skiied.  He played tennis twice a week almost all his life until some 10 years ago, when he had some back injuries.  I think he had taken up golf since.  3 years ago, he was diagnosed with a soft tissue sarcoma, a very rare and "toxic" form of cancer on the muscle.  He caught it early and didn't need chemo, but had 2 strips of his right quadracep and 1 strip from the back of the thigh removed.  No more running and tennis for him.  But he managed to get 100% walking ability with 4 months of physical therapy, although he needs help with a walking stick when going up and down the stairs.  Being athletic with strong muscles pays off.

I want to be like these people when I get old.  I'd like to be able to do things that I enjoy. 

Max:  I got so excited to meet you the first time at Danskin, that I went back to my friends and tell them about the "guy with the BT sign", and tell them to check out that Ironman!

Max...you are inspiring and encouraging to everyone here and also at the races you go to.

When I came in last in one of my tri you wrote the kindest note that helped me feel good about what I did. You see the big picture of life and have shared over and over that we triathletes that are former couch potatos are inspiring our kids and changing lives. You are right, my oldest two daughters did their first triathlon a couple weeks ago. My oldest daughter Emily who you met at Cranberry asked if there are professional triathletes because she had been thinking that would be fun? Now every day she wants me to go training with her.  2.5 years ago, I wouldn't have been able to do anything active with her. We'll be buying her a road bike soon. Today we were going to go to the track, but it is raining so she wants to go to the pool!! How cool is it to workout with your 10 year old daughter!!

My goal is to one day do an Ironman. I'll be racing to beat the cut off and to challenge me. It will take me a few years to get there but hopefully before I'm 50.

Well said Max. At my first tri, I finished immediately behind a guy with the number 80 on his right calf.

I intend to keep chasing that extraordinary athlete as long as possible.

Awesome ...that you helped inspire your parents to do their first Tri!!

Now there are more triathletes in your family...I think that is so cool.

Will all three of you do a race together? I can't wait to race with my daughters.....it will be amazing.

Where you there to cheer them on? Glad to see motivation comes from the kids to the parents as well as the other way around parents to the kids.

As one of the old farts of the board, I love reading posts like this from a fellow old fart.    I've been in the sport since 1983, and I appreciate the fact that I'm still doing after all these years.  I did have a brief hiatus from 1999-2001, but came back stronger in 2002.  The secrets to longevity in this sport are:

1. Listen to your body.
2. Be consistant.
3. Keep it fun.

I get a real kick out of it when someone in their 30s come up to me after a race, and say something like "You're such an inspiration to me.  I hope I'm still doing this when I'm your age."  Things like that remind me not to take what I do for granted.  The attached photo reminds me of what I love about the sport, and where I want to be down the road.  I'm the youngster in this photo.  The lady in the middle is 75 years old.  She "only" did the duathlon because her shoulders had not recovered enough from the horrible bike accident she had last year to allow her to swim comfortable.

(sunset aarp gang.jpg)